Moab - Wasatch Cruisers Oct club run

I was one of the founding members of this club back in 1999 and it started out as 6 guys with FJ40s. It has since grown into a large club of ~75 members. There are 4Runners, minitrucks, Tacomas, FJ Cruisers and just about every variety of Land Cruiser in the club. It had been about 5 years since I had been able to get out on one of the official club runs until this past weekend. It was a blast.

We had about 12 trucks total but we weren't all on the same trails. We drove down to Moab last Thursday evening and met at the movie theater in town Friday morning to decide which trail to run. We ended up with a group of 6 trucks on Steel Bender. Steel Bender is pretty fun but really not that difficult even though it's rated a 4 (on a scale of 1-5 with the hardest). There are a couple challenging climbs and a big ledge to drop off of that has gotten much worse over the last few years. It ended up being a long day. We didn't have any breakdowns, but we had lots of kids on the run since our club is a family club. It's fun but the kids just slow things down a little.

Here's a few photos from the parking lot as we decided which trails to run. The other group ran 7 Mile Rim.
















Onto the Steel Bender trail. I took only a handful of pics so I apologize. A fried took a few of my Tacoma too.

 

more from Steel Bender

 

Couple pictures from our campsite at ehe Canyonlands campground.




Sliders got a serious work out. Whoever says Trail Gear sliders don't hold up to abuse has never really used them.

 

Looked like a blast! Hopefully i'll get out west and wheel oneday.

 

Moving to Utah next month! Can't wait to join one of these trips!

 

Saturday a small group of us (me in my Tacoma, two 80 series Land Cruisers and a 1st gen 4Runner) ran Golden Spike. It has been almost 10 years since I ran this trail last. I have only run it in my FJ40 in the past. I was excited because this would be the first real test for my Tacoma in the rocks. Most of the trips I've taken with it since I bought it have been long multi-day "expedition" style trips in the desert. So I made a point of trying all the hard lines I could find on Golden Spike including Double Whammy. I have never driven up Double Whammy but I've seen countless people break or rollover on it. After pulling the front tires up to the top ledge I gave it a little bump and the Tacoma went right up. I was seriously stoked that the Tacoma tackled every single obstacle I tried without really any difficulty. This is the first IFS truck I've owned so I was skeptical of how well it would do in the rocks but I was pleasantly suprised.

I took only a couple photos on Golden Spike so I'm hoping some of the other guys with us took more, but here's a sequence of me crossing the crack.
















Couple of the other guys

 

Holy flex!

 

Those 80 Series actually flex pretty well. I lifted a tire a few times in the Tacoma, but that's to be expected with the IFS. I do miss the flex I had in my FJ40.

 

Coming to HAFB? I'm really close to the base. It's a great area.

 

Yep, bought a new house there in Roy.

 

Looks like an awesome trip. I was also in Moab that weekend, the weather was perfect.

 

I really enjoy seeing these pics of expedition like trips. It's really cool that you guys include the families, I'm sure my boys would be really excited for a trip like this. Hopefully, I can pull some orders out west before too long. Thanks for sharing.

 

x2 Trying for some to Ft carson next. I would love to take my family out for a weekend in the desert.

 

This is the setup I eventually plan on having on my rear, along with the topper. Can Back, make a topper for the 2nd gen tacomas!

 

Ahhh The free state of Utah. Love it there. Thanks for the great pics and commentary. It made my day better.

 

Few more from a friend.

 

awesome pictures and trip.

 

Looks like a blast, but my Taco isn't ready for that yet.

 

Wheeling Moab is on my bucket list. This looks amazing

 

awwwwwww i would of gone :'( i had nothing better to do